Bible Ballistics: BBs #333 Lovest Thou Me More Than___???

 

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

As a word of encouragement on this Friday, I would like to draw our thoughts to the import of guarding our heart. The proverb warns us to “Keep thy heart” because it is the foundation of our life, and we live in a time of multitudinous distractions. And while many of these distractions appear to be “good” things, they have the ability to adversely affect our lives. There are so many seemingly good things that we can become involved in and passionate about, yet we must measure wisely the things that we allow into our lives, the things that we pursue. Even as Jesus asked Peter after the resurrection:

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” John 21:15

Jesus took time to restore Peter after his denial of Him. Jesus asked three times “do you love me?” and while Peter answered yes, each time, I imagine his mind was going back to his great failure. Yet Jesus walked him through this process, and called him to do the work that He had called him to, in love and newness. We can take heart in the restoration that Jesus brought to Peter, because we have all failed Him, and probably will again. Yet Jesus calls us to press on in a service to others that reflects the “love” which only Jesus, His presence and His power, through His precious Holy Spirit at work in us, can accomplish.

Jesus didn’t call him to work His way back, but to simply love Jesus, first and to serve others out of that love.

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5

Praise God for the gift of His love—His love that is imparted to us by His Holy Spirit when we are saved. This love “OF” God that transforms us from sinners to saints—love that is of Him, from Him, by Him, and through Him. The only “love” that transforms ‘hearts’ through the blood of Jesus and the salvation that HE bought at Calvary; the only ‘love’ that can change the world as He is reflected in our lives.

But we must remember that it’s not “doing” good works that saves us and pleases God, but is our loving Him that produces the works that are pleasing to God (See Eph. 2:8-10). Jesus rebuked the church for this very thing in the first of the seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2.

“I know thy works,

and thy labour,

and thy patience,

and how thou canst not bear them

which are evil:

and thou hast tried them

which say they are apostles,

and are not,

and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne,

and hast patience,

and for my name’s sake hast laboured,

and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless

I have somewhat against thee,

because thou hast left

thy first love.” Revelation 2:2-4

We must take ‘heart’ and guard our ‘heart’, “with all diligence” being aware of all the things that are vying for our love and devotion. We must examine those “good” things that are calling us, and be sure they are not taking the place of our love for, and devotion to Jesus. And if you’ll note, Jesus didn’t say that they had ‘lost’ their love, but that they had left it. I don’t think they had just cast it away, or rejected it in any way (Because Jesus commended their service but rebuked them for their deficient motives!) but they had been negligent to guard their hearts and while doing the right things, they had lost sight of the One whose love was and is the only way to accomplish God’s work! We must keep a watchful eye to our hearts and be sure that “good” things haven’t been creeping into the “best” place that belongs only to God The Father and God The Son. If we will but listen and give heed to the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can maintain the pure, single-minded love and devotion that Jesus alone is worthy of!

Won’t you join me in setting our hearts on our “first love”, JESUS? May we each examine our heart and see what is standing between Jesus and ‘me’? What will we answer when Jesus asks us, “lovest thou me more than these?” What is your “these”? I’d like to share one of my favorite hymns with you, may it speak to you as it has so often to me. May we see through HIS eyes!

Be Thou My Vision                 By Dallon Forgaill

“Be Thou my Vision,

O Lord of my heart;


Naught be all else to me,

save that Thou art


Thou my best Thought,

by day or by night,


Waking or sleeping,

Thy presence my light.



 

Be Thou my Wisdom,

and Thou my true Word;


I ever with Thee

and Thou with me, Lord;


Thou my great Father,

I Thy true son;


Thou in me dwelling,

and I with Thee one.



 

Be Thou my battle Shield,

Sword for the fight;


Be Thou my Dignity,

Thou my Delight;


Thou my soul’s Shelter,

Thou my high Tower:


Raise Thou me heavenward,

O Power of my power.



 

Riches I heed not,

nor man’s empty praise,


Thou mine Inheritance,

now and always:


Thou and Thou only,

first in my heart,

High King of Heaven,

my Treasure Thou art.



 

High King of Heaven,

my victory won,


May I reach Heaven’s joys,

O bright Heaven’s Sun!


Heart of my own heart,

whatever befall,


Still be my Vision,

O Ruler of all.”

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #332 I Am Determined To_____???

 

“For I determined

not to know any thing among you,

save Jesus Christ,

and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness,

and in fear,

and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching

was not with enticing words

of man’s wisdom,

but in demonstration

of the Spirit

and of power:

5 That your faith

should not stand

in the wisdom of men,

but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:2-5

What have you determined to be? To do? To say? Or not to say? What goals and pursuits have you determined and set before yourself? Are they the things of the world or the things of God? I would like to challenge each of us today, to join with Paul and set our hearts and minds on The Lord Jesus Christ, and His great work of salvation accomplished on the Cross, and to measure all things by HIM?

Paul very clearly and evidently set his heart and mind on Jesus, and because of his determination to keep his eyes “fixed on Jesus”, God used him in ways that were world changing! How about you and me? Have we set our hearts to seek Jesus? Are we so distracted by the things around us that we loose our focus on Jesus? There are so many demands, voices, obligations, jobs, toys, desires and pursuits that can distract us. Are we ready and willing to yield ourselves to Jesus alone to do what He alone can do?

But how do we accomplish that? It is simple but not easy, and Jesus himself tells us how to do it.

“Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit

of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me

ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Abide: “…..to have one’s abode; dwell; reside…..

to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship …..”

Oh, how simple but powerful; to abide with Jesus; to dwell with Him; to be “fixed” on Him; to maintain a right ‘attitude’ in, through and for Him.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:17

This is a reference to making Jesus “at home” in your heart, not the fact that He dwells in His children. Are we making a good home in our heart for the Lord, or is He ill at ease with the other things that we fill our heart with? We must be selective of what we allow into our hearts. The Psalmist reminds us that we must “guard” our heart—what you put in WILL come out. Will you join me in pursuing Jesus, and abiding with Him, revealing HIS power before the world?

“Let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly

in all wisdom;

teaching

and admonishing one another

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing

with grace in your hearts

to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do

in word

or deed,

do all

in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks

to God and the Father

by him.” Colossians 3:16-17

Simple, but not easy—yet remember, YOU can:

“I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.”     Philippians 4:12-13

 

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.06    A Spiritual Eclipse???

 

It seems that we are inundated with “star” fever. But rather than the luminaries of the sky; instead of the wonder and beauty of that which God created on the fourth day; instead of the beautiful lights that adorn the night sky, that have lead people through the wilderness, through the western frontiers of America and lands across the world; these aren’t the “stars” that people are focused on today.

“And God said,

Let there be lights

in the firmament of the heaven

to divide the day from the night;

and let them be for signs,

and for seasons,

and for days,

and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the

firmament of the heaven

to give light upon the earth:

and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights;

the greater light to rule the day,

and the lesser light to rule the night:

he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament

of the heaven

to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day

and over the night,

and to divide the light

from the darkness:

and God saw that it was good.

19 And the evening and the morning

were the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14-19

Many today are so affixed to their television programs, media input, and movies, that they seem to have traded the beauty of creation for the artificial ‘glamor’ and ‘glitz’ of Hollywood! How sad it is to trade the spectacular beauty of God and His creation, to be spectators of the great ‘imitation’ of life; to trade “abundant life”, that only Jesus can give, for an artificial alternative that the world presents; and alternative that cannot bring life, but only death and delusion!

Even we as believers have often bought the lies of the enemy, and have allowed our “light” to be hidden under a bushel, instead of letting our “little light shine” with the truth and glory of God. We have allowed the “stars” of Hollywood to get in our eyes, instead of allowing the true “light of the world” to sustain, transform and shine HIS truth through us.

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5

Jesus came to do the work of His Father, which was to take on flesh, live a sinless life and give Himself as the perfect, sacrifice for sin, so that we might have The Life and Light of the world come to dwell within us, to redeem us (Buy us back from death), transform us into HIS image, and take us to glory with Him! Jesus wants to shine through us to bring HIS light into the darkness.

“For it is God which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things

without murmurings

and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless

and harmless,

the sons of God,

without rebuke,

in the midst of a crooked

and perverse nation,

among whom ye shine

as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth

the word of life;

that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,

that I have not run in vain,

neither laboured in vain.”     Philippians 2:13-16

We are saved to shine in the darkness—and my friends, if you haven’t noticed the darkness is crowding in around us, but the darkness cannot put out our light if we will but live and let the light of Jesus shine to our world. But how do we do that? Let’s look at some truths from scripture that will help us do just that, remembering that we “have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” We must fully trust in Him, knowing that it is “not I, but Christ liveth in me” (See Galatians 2:20)! Oh, that we can come to understand that it is the truth of the new birth, that “Christ liveth in me” and I don’t have to do it on my own—I can’t do it on my own–it is all “of God, and not of us”!

“Therefore seeing we have this ministry,

as we have received mercy,

we faint not;

2 But have renounced

the hidden things of dishonesty,

not walking in craftiness,

nor handling the word of God deceitfully;

but by manifestation of the truth

commending ourselves

to every man’s conscience

in the sight of God.

3 But if our gospel be hid,

it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world

hath blinded the minds

of them which believe not,

lest the light of the glorious gospel

of Christ,

who is the image of God,

should shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves,

but Christ Jesus the Lord;

and ourselves your servants

for Jesus’ sake.

6 For God,

who commanded the light to shine

out of darkness,

hath shined in our hearts,

to give the light of the knowledge

of the glory of God

in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure

in earthen vessels,

that the excellency

of the power

may be of God,

and not of us.”    2 Corinthians 4:1-7

It is ALL about Jesus! And Only Jesus!!!

“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”    Romans 11:35

It makes me sad to see people I love chasing after the glitz and glamor of the world, because it isn’t real. It will fail them in the end, and the little lives that are following their example will be misled as well. Why will we teach our children to imitate the world, and not the Savior? Why do we dress our daughters like the immoral “stars” of the music and movie world. What are we teaching them? We don’t have time to teach them truth, or take them to church, or teach them modesty or purity, then we seem to be amazed that they act like the very people we have helped them to “admire”? Many push their sons to be the athletic “star” while neglecting the spiritual lessons that will establish their character first. There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of excellence, but how often do we lead our children and other adults around us to pursue the excellence of the world rather than excellence in spiritual things. Do we point them to the Bible as much as the ‘playbook’? Do we enjoy godly music and movies before our loved ones, or do we thrive on the music and movies that promote the very things that God hates? When we belong to Jesus shouldn’t we love what He loves, and hate what He hates (and yes there are things that God hates.)!

“These six things doth the Lord hate:

yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look,

a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked

imaginations,

feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies,

and he that soweth discord among brethren.

20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment,

and forsake not the law of thy mother:

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart,

and tie them about thy neck.

22 When thou goest,

it shall lead thee;

when thou sleepest,

it shall keep thee;

and when thou awakest,

it shall talk with thee.

23 For the commandment is a lamp;

and the law is light;

and reproofs of instruction

are the way of life:”  Proverbs 6:16-23

If God hates these things, shouldn’t we (And if you’ll notice these are the things that permeate and pervade the entertainment industry?) Yet we so often spend our time, effort and money to embrace these very lies of the Devil that they promote. We are called to “Be ye holy; for I am holy” and we can’t do that while clinging to the world. James sums it up rather succinctly.

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust,

and have not:

ye kill,

and desire to have,

and cannot obtain:

ye fight

and war,

yet ye have not,

because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask,

and receive not,

because ye ask amiss,

that ye may consume

it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses,

know ye not that the friendship of the world

is enmity with God?

whosoever therefore will be a friend

of the world

is the enemy of God.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,

The spirit that dwelleth in us

lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;

and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted,

and mourn,

and weep:

let your laughter be turned to mourning,

and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.”  James 4:1-10

Will we humble ourselves before God, or let pride lead us in the other direction? So what does any of this have to do with an ‘eclipse’? Let me tell you. We all know that an eclipse is a darkening/covering of the moon, the earth or the sun to cast a shadow that creates a darkening/covering. God put this on my heart several years ago, and I’d like to share it with you in relation to all that we have discussed today. God The Father and Jesus the Son are the “Sun”, we are the “moon”, and the world is ‘the world’. The ‘light’ originates from The Son who has shined forth in our hearts:

“….who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

When the light of the sun is shining onto the moon, it reflects light to the world, and dissipates the darkness. But when the earth comes between the sun and the moon there is no light reflected and darkness pervades the earth. We as the children of God, through faith in the blood that Jesus shed for our sin, are to reflect the light that God has “shined in our hearts” and then we can “give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” to a lost and dying world. We are the reflection of the “light of the world”, Jesus, yet when we allow the world to come between our Lord and us we tarnish our reflection of HIS light into the darkness. But when we stay clearly and single-mindedly focused on Jesus, His Spirit and His Word, we will shine forth that very “light of the knowledge of the glory of God”! And my dear friends, that is the only hope that our world has. And we who have the truth, and know the Lord Jesus Christ, must, I repeat, we MUST, get our eyes off of the world and it’s glamor and “fix our eyes on Jesus”. I invite you to join me in praying that God will help us commit ourselves to seek a renewal in our devotion to God and His truth and a hatred for the things that God hates (And God doesn’t hate people, just the sin that mars His beloved creation, and I can say beloved because “God so loved the world….”, John 3:16, check it out!!!)!!! Let’s be diligently about the work that Jesus calls and equips us to do! (See John 4:34)

“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”   Matthew 5:15-16

Do NOT let the world eclipse your light—JESUS!!!  Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #331 Joshua And Caleb Or The 10???

 

As we observe all of the media frenzy going on around us, I am reminded that we must remember that it IS NOT the side you’re on, or even if you are in the majority. The question is whose side are YOU on? Now I know that sounds like a bit of double-talk, and it really is a bit of a conundrum to get us to think about life from the right perspective. God won’t ask us if we were a republican, or a democrat, or a libertarian, or even if you were part of the ‘green’ party, or an independent; but God will ask each one if you are His child through the blood of His Son?

One of my favorite Bible accounts is a reminder of this. It relates to Joshua and Caleb. Joshua, of course, had been Moses’ assistant, and Caleb one of the leaders of the people. They were part of the twelve sent to spy out the “Promised Land”, and return with a report. Well, they did that—all twelve went through the land, all saw the beauty and splendor of God’s “Promised Land” of “milk and honey”, yet they didn’t all come back with the same report. Let’s examine portions of the account in Numbers 13 and 14.

“And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel……and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel……and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature….and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:25-32

Twelve men sent on a reconnaissance mission; ten came back defeated already, but two came back confident that the God who had promised Abraham this land, the God who had brought them to this land, the God who had shown them the ‘milk and honey’ was (And still is!) able to bring them victoriously in.

“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey?” Numbers 14:1-3

The ten influenced the whole nation of Israel, and discouraged them to the point that they wept in despair, they murmured against Moses and accused God of misleading them! Whoa! Do you understand how easy it is to get our eyes on the giants and off of GOD! God had delivered them from Egypt; God had led them across the Red Sea; God had provided their food, water and protection; yet now they are ready to abandon God in fear because the “majority” said, “we can’t do it”! Ever hear that? We all have, but the story isn’t over there. There were two who had a different report—same event, same scouting mission, same observances—but they were looking through eyes of faith and trust in the Lord God Almighty!!! What did these two men see that the others didn’t? It wasn’t what they saw that was different, but they saw it differently, because of whom they trusted with what they saw. How about you?

“And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying,

The land, which we passed through

to search it,

is an exceeding good land.

8 If the Lord delight in us,

then he will bring us into this land,

and give it us;

a land which floweth

with milk and honey.

9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord,

neither fear ye the people of the land;

for they are bread for us:

their defence is departed from them,

and the Lord is with us:

fear them not.” Numbers 14:6-9

Joshua and Caleb called the people to stand fast on the promises of God, but they wouldn’t listen, and because of their rebellion God set them to wander in the wilderness until all of those who rejected God died, and the children for whom they feared, were brought in. But what happened to Joshua and Caleb? They were both rewarded for their faithfulness to God. Joshua became the successor to Moses when they came to the Jordan River, and Caleb was spared and blessed to conquer the land God promised him. Why? God Himself gives us that answer.

“But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” Numbers 14:24

And bring him in He did. So you and I must decide day by day, even today, will we believe God or men? We will be fearful or confident in our Lord Jesus Christ? We must “stand fast in the evil day”—and friends that is where we are! And God gives us the power to succeed by faith.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord….” 2 Timothy 1:7-8a

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Thessalonians 4:19-20

The choice is yours! Will you choose to respond like Joshua and Caleb, or will you be swayed by men—whether they are the majority or the minority? Will your stand fast on the promises of God and His Word, or will you believe the lies of the enemy? These are choices we make every day, and we must be grounded in God’s Word, and have confidence in the faithfulness of God, to make the right ones. May we choose wisely today! May we take heart from the testimony of Caleb, and though it’s a bit long, I think it worth the time and have recorded it for you here:

“Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. 10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.” Joshua 14:7-13

Oh, what a precious testimony, “I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me”! What stand will you be called upon to take for God today? I pray that we may have the boldness and confidence of these two godly men, today. God’s blessing on you dear ones as you face your “giants” today and each day! We serve the same faithful God—and remember—we win because God wins!!! Remember God brought David’s “giant” down with a rock and a slingshot! Pick up your ‘rock’!!! The Rock of Ages, that is!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #330      Only Your Own Story???

 

I am a great C.S. Lewis fan, and I just love the Chronicles of Narnia. I enjoy the great spiritual parallels and in some of the stories there is a line that Aslan speaks to a person he is encountering personally; when asked about some other person in the story Aslan’s reply is classic, “I only tell you ‘your’ story, not theirs!” A principle we should take to heart.

We are living in a culture that is plagued with, what I call, a ‘Pass the buck’ syndrome. No one is responsible for his own actions, and it seems that our favorite pastime is to criticize circumstances, motives (Or ulterior motives!) and intentions of others; as well as determining how they measure up to our particular expectations. There is a principle in scripture that calls us to ‘run in our own lane’—we are to run the race that Jesus places before us without regard to the race that someone else may be running.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand

of the throne of God.”     Hebrews 12:1-2

We are called to run “the race that is set before us”! Take note of pronouns used in this passage:

 “we also are compassed about—

  let us lay aside–

  doth so easily beset us—

  let us run—

  set before us—

  our faith—“ 

We are each called by God, each one given the opportunity to place our faith in Jesus, and each one is called to consider the testimony of those who are around us, both presently and those who have gone on before us (Whether recorded in scripture or great Christian biographies!). We must recognize that temptations and trials come to each one of us, yet we are not all tempted by the same things, and different issues may affect each of us differently. We are called to have unity in Jesus Christ, not to be uniform! We are called to run ‘the race’ that is set ‘before us’, not the race set before someone else. God sets the race, my job is to run faithfully and finish well. I don’t have to beat anyone else; this is a personal best not a competition with the rest of the body of Christ. Really? My race is not the same as yours, in the sense that we are each uniquely called and gifted to do what ‘only’ we can do. Yes there are basics that we are all called to pursue—God, Jesus, holiness, the knowledge of God through His Word, the fruit of the Spirit—but we all have unique giftings through which we accomplish God’s will.

I’d like to leave you with some words of Jesus to Peter after the resurrection, and at a restoration encounter at the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had just challenged Peter three times with the question, “lovest thou me?”, and to Peter’s positive response each time Jesus had commissioned him to feed and tend his sheep/lambs. Jesus then told Peter He would follow HIM to death for his faith. At this Peter, seeming to want to ‘change the subject’ turned to the Apostle John and asked Jesus a question about “John’s” story. Let’s consider what Jesus had to say in response to Peter’s inquiry.

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself,

and walkedst whither thou wouldest:

but when thou shalt be old,

thou shalt stretch forth thy hands,

and another shall gird thee,

and carry thee whither

thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he,

signifying by what death

he should glorify God.

And when he had spoken this,

he saith unto him,

Follow me.

20 Then Peter,

turning about,

Philseeth the disciple

whom Jesus loved

following;

which also leaned on his breast

at supper,

and said, Lord, which is he

that betrayeth thee?

21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus,

Lord, and what shall this man do?

22 Jesus saith unto him,

If I will that he tarry till I come,

what is that to thee?

follow thou me.” John 21:18-22

So my friend, I ask you, “what is that to thee?” Are you so busy checking out everyone else’s race, that you aren’t running your own? Are you neglecting your race, to be a judge of someone else’s race? The solution is simple but not easy.

“follow thou me”—

And there is only one way to successfully do that:

“Looking unto Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith”

Or as the NASB translates it, we are to keep “fixing our eyes” on Jesus. So keep your eyes on the prize—Jesus– and don’t worry about what HE is calling others to do. Jesus is only concerned about you and I doing what HE has called us to do. Let’s press on together in “our lane” running “our race” with patience, love and diligence. Press on dear one, press on. Remember, we WIN! Jesus IS the prize!!!

“Brethren, I count not myself

to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling

of God

in Christ Jesus.”     Philippians 3:13-14